This invention relates to office systems, and more particularly to a system of office furniture designed to provide maximum flexibility to the user in terms of mass produced components which may be used to form individual units or connected together to form assemblies of interconnected items.
Most office systems in use today are formed from free-standing panels which extend upwardly a significant distance above the normal desk top height. To these panels are affixed accessory items, such as storage cabinets, brackets for in turn supporting other items, and desk tops. The present invention is directed to what is termed a "spine" assembly which is preferably free-standing and of a height about the same as that of a typical desk top. The spine assembly is the heart of the system, and may be free-standing itself as a completed item of furniture serving as a low-height panel. Its main function, however, is as a support for a desk top, and as a means for containing utility and communications lines to be distributed to the desk tops. Additionally, the spine assembly provides support for panels and other accessory items that may extend thereabove, as desired. Provision is made to join one spine assembly to another, so that the spine assemblies may be linked to form any desired configuration of interconnected spine assemblies and panels and desk tops and accessories, as desired.
The spine assembly advantageously comprises an interior framework which supports side panels and which includes, at its ends, means for attaching finishing end panels or posts to which may be attached one or more frameworks of other spine assemblies, as desired. The interior framework includes a strut which serves as a support for brackets extending upwardly therefrom in turn used to support desk tops and panels and accessories as well as a cover assembly. The cover assembly itself closes off the top of the housing defining the spine assembly, and provides an opening through which utility and communications lines pass from the interior of the housing to the exterior thereof. Additionally, brackets may extend upwardly through the cover assembly for supporting panels and other accessory items above the cover assembly.
The following patents are representative of the prior art:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Applicant(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,883,202 Karl-Heinz Konig 05/13/75 Title: DESK HAVING ELECTRICAL SUPPLY LINES WHICH ARE LAID IN THE TABLE 4,094,256 Manfred Holper et al. 06/13/78 Title: WORK TABLE HAVING LINES EMBODIED THEREIN 4,377,724 Harold R. Wilson 03/22/83 Title: SPACE DIVIDER WALL STRUCTURE WITH MULTI- PLE CIRCUIT POWER SYSTEM ______________________________________